we can't cut our way to investing in education, research and development. we just have to get back to a balance, and i think the american people understand that. >> let me ask you, i want to ask you a quick question about chuck hagel and the problems that he's had getting his nomination through, and that is strictly political question. the president knew going in that this would be a tough fight for him, that chuck hagel s not the most popular guy on capitol hill. do you think that the president, and yes, he liked chuck hagel and the work from him, et cetera, would do this because they would rather have the republican do these kind of cuts to the pentagon than a democrat? >> boy, i don't think that was his -- he worked for something that was in the national security space, chuck hagel did, for some period of time. i think he built a relationship with the president. he is a vietnam veteran, a decorated vietnam veteran at that, and that's why the president selected him. the problem was, the senate now and certainly senator reed can talk to him better than i c